The present invention relates to a miniature toy vehicle assembly which comprises a vehicle housing molded of a plastic resin having an overall length of about 5 cm, and a motor assembly having a spring-powered prime mover mounted on the vehicle housing, and which has an overall weight of about 10 g.
Since such a miniature toy car has a large spring power when compared with the overall weight, the car can be propelled over a long distance at high speed. Moreover, by making the best use of its large power, it is possible for a child to enjoy a wide variety of games with the car. For example, if the car is made to collide with an obstacle, its course will be changed to an unexpected direction by means of the reaction force of the collision, or the car can be jumped by means of a jump.
Such a course change by means of the reaction force of a collision is remarkably effected by the fact that the car body rebounds from the obstacle by the reaction applied thereto and the front wheels thereof are lifted slightly off the support surface, i.e., the ground. In other words, it is considered that the course change is caused by a reduction in the lateral resistance due to the lift-off of the front wheels, the unbalance between the right and left rear wheels, the lateral component of the reaction force produced by the collision, and so forth. Accordingly, if the car is smaller in overall length, is more compact and lightweight, and has a construction that allows the front wheels to lift off more easily, it is possible to enjoy a toy vehicle with a more varied change of course.
On the other hand, the fact that the car is lightweight and compact is a disadvantage when enjoying the amusing running of the car, so much so that the interest of the play is reduced, since when the car is made to collide against an obstacle so that its course is changed to an unexpected direction by means of the reaction force as a result of the collision, the car may undesirably be made to roll over by the reaction force alone, or since the car cannot land stably after a jump and moreover the car can easily roll over even during normal running when it only slightly touches something, or it encounters unevenness in the support surface while running.
Accordingly, the toy industry demands a continued infusion of new toy concepts and is still receptive to new and novel toy vehicle designs to entertain and elicit the interest of children.